610 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov 



out at the price demanded. The retail price could 

 not be held at 9c a quart. 



Mr. llohcrtson, ofBraintree, producer, had talked 

 with several peddlers who expected to pay more 

 for milk this winter than last. The contractoi-s in 

 the vicinity of Boston were willing to pay the 

 same as last j'ear. 



Mr. Haskell, producer, Avas confident that the 

 farmers in the district above Groton Junction are 

 not prepared to make milk for a less price than 

 last season. They did not make a dollar profit at 

 that price. Some had said they would give up the 

 business, sell a part of their stock, fat calves, and 

 get rid of their milk as best they could. He 

 thought that if the price was reduced to the con- 

 sumer a portion of the reduction should be borne 

 by the contractors. 



There being no probability of an agreement the 

 meeting was dissolved. The Managers of the pro- 

 ducers, will call together the associations th y 

 represent and submit to then the result of the con- 

 ferences. 



The Swine Exposition. — The old adage that 

 "circumstances alter cases," has been sadly verified 

 by the managei-s of the great IS'ationa.l Sv.'ine Ex- 

 position at Chicago. The fact that pork is worth 

 less than one-half as much in market now as it was 

 one year ago has wonderfully dampened the enthu- 

 siasm of farmers in respect to swine, and many 

 feeders probably entertain a somewhat similar feel- 

 ing towards pigs that John Randolph did towards 

 sheep when he made his famous remark that he 

 would walk half a mile for a chance to give one a 

 kick. The show is represented as by far the most 

 extensive and complete of the various breeds of 

 swine ever made in this country, if it was ever 

 equalled in any country, but we regret to learn that 

 the receipts fell far short of the expenses of the 

 exhibition. 



For the New England Farmer. 



MAINE BOAKD OF AGKICULTURE. 



The farmers of Eastern Maine in couneil — Unilerdr.iin- 

 ing — Progress in Agriculture — Cooking food for stock 

 — Value of hay and corn for feeding stock — Improve 

 ment of pastures— A flock of visitors— Pay as you go 

 — Clean cultivation — Manures— Fruit and fruit trees. 



The autumn session of the Maine Board 

 was conimenced at Lincohi, forty-five milt■^ 

 east of Bangor, on the line of the iMiriipean 

 and Noith American railroad, on tlie ll'th of 

 September, and continued the two followii 

 days. 



A farmers' convention was holden in connec- 

 tion with the Board, which was fully attended 

 by a community of intelligent and j)rosperous 

 farmers, together with a goodly sprinkling of 

 ladies. It was agreed upon ail hands that the 

 session was one of unusual interest. 



The first forenoon was taken up with prepa 

 rations and arrangements. In the afternoon 



an address of welcome to the Board was made 

 by Col. Hersey of Ijincoln, followed by .John 

 Robinson. ICsrj., which were responded to bv 

 Z. A. GilV)ert, Vice President, in his usual 

 happy manner. 



In the evening was read a paper upon un- 

 derdraining, by Mr. Hawes of Knox, a mem- 

 ber of the Board, Avhich was a ])lain, practical, 

 common-sense paper, going to sIhjw by prac- 

 tical experienoe the value of intelligent efforts 

 in this direction. This was follo\ved by Frank 

 Buck, of Orland, upon "Progress in Agricul- 

 ture." This paper was highly spoken of, but 

 not having heard it, your corresj)ondent can 

 only express the opinion of others. 



Wednesday Mornimj. — The President, who 

 had stopped on the way to give the address 

 before the East Kennebec Society, at South 

 China, appeared and took the chair. Z. A. 

 Gilbert, nuMuber for Androscoggin, gave a 

 ])ractical, intelligent and exhaustive lecture 

 upon "Cooking Food for Farm Stock." Mr. 

 G. showed conclusively that thirty-three per 

 cent, could be saved b}' cooking, and that at 

 a small expense. He has visited several of 

 the most noted feeders of steamed food in 

 Massachusetts and Connecticut, among others 

 Gov. Brown, Win. Birnie and the Messrs. 

 Wells, conversed with them and examined 

 their fixtures, and was able to speak advisedly. 

 Intelligent experiments had always proved 

 satisfactory and in no case has the practice 

 been abandoned as unprofitable. The woody 

 fibre must be broken uji to liberate the nutri- 

 tive elements, and this can only be done by 

 heat and moisture, and this can be far more 

 cheaply supplied by steaming than by the ani- 

 mals, as in the one case the fuel is dry wood 

 and in the other hay and grain. The most 

 carefully conducted experiments demonstrate 

 that twelve pounds of hay and six pounds of 

 meal and shorts mixed are equal when steamed 

 to eighteen of ha}' and nine of meal and shorts 

 fed dry, both for flesh and milk. Steamed 

 food is considered by many observers as a 

 specific for coughs and incipient heaves in 

 horses. As to the question, "Is steaming 

 practicable on a small scale P" Mr. G. said 

 one of his lu'ighbors in Lewiston, Mr. Dickey, 

 had practiced it systematically on a small 

 scale, and is abundantly satisfied with the re- 

 sult. A steamer for a small stock costs less 

 than a mower, is of far greater utility, and 

 for successfid dairying is of the very first im- 

 portance. Steam has worked wonders for all 

 other classes, and is yet to do so for the far- 

 mer. 



In the very spirited discussion which fol- 

 lowed the lecture, Secretary Goodale said the 

 sul)ject had been treated so exhaustively that 

 he knew of no more to be said. The testi- 

 mony is unimpeachable, being of the highest 

 character and all on one side. For late cut 

 hay, swale hay, straw, corn fodder and all 

 poor fodder, it is of the very first importance 



